Cursed
by RocketKat123
Summary: I'm cursed. I always thought I was, but now this is proof. Bad luck follows me everywhere. I tried to escape it by going to another realm, but if you can believe it, my bad luck even followed me across the stars. But hey, I'm not actually the worst off. I know a few people that have it worse than me. (Sequel to Unlikely)
1. Chapter 1: Incorporeality

**just as a warning, you should probably read my first fic, Unlikely. Otherwise you will be very confused for a while.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Avengers or anything Marvel.**

Chapter 1: Incorporeality

Uncertainty is definitely something that I'm familiar with, but I can't remember a time in my life that I was as uncertain and conflicted as I am at this very moment.

I allowed My hands to clench and unclenched in rapid succession out of sight in my hoodie pocket as I stepped up to the circle in the concrete with the two Asgardians. The inside of my gloves were wet with sweat which made them slippery and loose on my hands. As if that wasn't bad enough, my stomach was tying itself into knots.

Thor lifted the machine that would take him, Loki, and I off into the stars, so I could grab the handle he was holding. I carefully put my hand farthest away from his.

Thor held out the other end of the machine for Loki to take. There was a moment in which Loki stubbornly refused to take the other handle of the machine. Then the moment passed and he took it with a vicious jerk.

I avoided looking directly ahead because then I would be looking at _him_. It wasn't because I was ashamed, embarrassed, or even that I was angry with him; it was because Loki looked like crap. It was painful to look at him and I hated this, I hated feeling anything akin to sympathy for him. I reminded myself again that he is not my father. He may have had a hand in my making, but he was not my father.

No, fathers were supposed to raise their children, encouraging them and teaching them the ways of life and-

Thor's booming voice that he was trying to keep down brought me out of my angry thoughts. "Are you ready Lady... Raven?" Thor said realizing at the end that he was being too formal with his niece.

The anxiety and fear that I had been feeling earlier came back too roost. My heart palpated and I gulped, thinking—not for the first time—that this could be a big mistake. I couldn't just simply opt out now, though.

I was so nervous—no scratch that not nervous, scared—because once we zoomed up to this supposed realm of the gods I would be trapped there for who knows how long until they get the Bifrost fixed.

And for your information, I have serious issues with any situation that may result in me being trapped.

"As ready as I'll ever be," I answered, trying to keep the anxiety I felt, out of my voice.

Thor nodded and started to turn the handle. I frantically took one last look around at the place that was my home for all of my life. However bad that home may be it was still the only thing that I knew.

The energy surged and the world seemed to smear. Soon it wasn't Earth I was looking at. Stars became solid white lines and I was hardly able to tell when we passed through a nebula.

I'm sure was still solid because when I look down at myself I still see the rest of me, but I sure did not _feel_ solid. It would be incredibly difficult to describe the feeling, so I'll compare it to drinking ten cups of coffee and then eating a whole bag of sugar (which you should not do by the way; it would kill you).

Abruptly, the sense of incorporeality stopped and I was back on solid ground...or maybe not. My eyes widened as I saw the shimmering ground beneath my feet. Ignoring everyone around me, I got down on my knees to get a closer look at the iridescent surface. "I didn't think it would be an actual rainbow bridge," I muttered to myself.

The bridge itself was broken and the end was splintered and jagged like broken glass. The broken end seemed to radiate rainbow light into the dark, star spattered abyss ahead. I was transfixed by this until a new voice spoke up behind me.

"I did not know you would be bringing another." As soon as the voice spoke, I shot up from my crouching position with an embarrassed blush already spreading over my cheeks.

I turned to the new comer and for the third time in only five minutes I was amazed by the weirdness of the place that would be my home for several months to come.

The aforementioned voice belonged to a very strange individual indeed. The man was dressed in golden armor with a helmet that amazingly resembled a bull's horns, but that was not the weirdest thing about him. You could say that he had golden eyes, but really they were more of a glowing copper with dark burnt orange highlights. They had a very eerie effect and were in stark contrast to his dark skin.

Subsequently, I noticed about twelve armed guards for the first time. They had already surrounded Loki and started to take him off to where ever the police of this realm might take a criminal.

I watched the soldiers take Loki down the iridescent bridge for a few moments more before turning back to Thor and the 'golden eyed' man.

"I watched the events on Midgard closely; I did not see or hear her," the gatekeeper said, leveling his unsettling gaze on me.

"I can explain that," I said anxiously defending myself. "Um okay, Loki put a spell—for lack of a better word—on me that hides me from… your sight and wove it in with my own powers and so now it's permanent," I said hurriedly, throwing my hands up at the end.

"There is no end to Loki's madness," Thor growled through gritted teeth to himself. "Come now Raven, we must inform my father of of this odd predicament we find ourselves in," he said and started to walk off.

I turned to follow him and a gasp escaped my mouth. To say the least, I was stunned for a moment. I then wondered to myself how and why did I not notice the beautiful golden city before me; I had turned and looked directly at it when I was watching Loki being dragged away!

The most emphatic fixture in the skyline was the pipe organ shaped structure directly ahead. Everything was eye catching, though, and my senses were almost overloaded with stimuli.

I glanced down from the golden sky line and saw that Thor had gotten far ahead of me and was now stopped and impatiently waited for me to get a move on.

"Sorry!" I shouted and ran to catch up.

We caught up to Loki and his guards together, Thor wanting to watch his brother like a hawk.


	2. Chapter 2: Resemblance

Chapter 2: Resemblance

Nearly everything was golden. Golden buildings, golden statues, heck, even full golden armor (and I just thought that was Heimdall's thing)! It seamed like everything was colored one hue of gold or another, except for a few specks of silver. As I walked along through the golden city with our little party, I began to get a headache from all the reflections; the novelty of this world was wearing off fast.

As we approached the pipe organ building, which I was told is the palace, my mood soured because of my growing headache. My mood soured so much that I became unaffected by anything new I encountered. My body started to remember the wear and tear it had endured in the last week and added to my steadily souring mood. By the time we actually got to the front gates of the palace, I was having to constantly remind myself not to slouch or drag my feet.

The guards instantly scrambled to roll open the huge gates at the sight of their crown prince and his traitorous brother.

Through the courtyard and into the halls of the palace, I became more and more blasé to the grandeur of the place and looked upon the golden statues and other fixtures with bland eyes.

Loki and his bevy of guards branched off down another hall and Thor and I were alone.

We finally came at a set of huge, ornate (and guess what) golden doors, to which guards stationed at each side opened with haste.

By this time I had given up the act, letting my shoulders slump and my head hang. I didn't even look up as Thor and I entered.

I was startled into alertness when a older woman (who I assume is Thor's mother and by consequence the queen of Asgard) stormed Thor and hugged him fiercely, murmuring things like, "I'm so glad you're home", and "We were so worried for you". I watched and a strange emotion welled up inside me (I hate to admit it but I think it was…jealousy). A man who is definitely Odin, king of Asgard, came down from his throne, but was more restrained and only put a fatherly hand on his son's shoulder when his wife let go of Thor.

Odin turned his one eye on me. "Why have you brought a mortal here, my son?" As he said that, I felt as if I was being probed, and I mean that literally. The feeling ended in seconds, and I could not tell what he had learned or if he was surprised by what he found because, like Loki, he was shielding himself from my senses. Unlike Loki, however, Odin probably had mental shields up all the time.

"Father…it is complicated," was all Thor managed to say.

Odin nodded and turned back to Thor. "Yes, I see that now. I assume there is a long story ahead?"

Thor chuckled warmly and said, "Most likely."

Odin turned to me again, "Come here, child."

I warily took a few steps forward, staying out of arms reach. "Yes?"

"What is your name, and tell me why you have you come here?"

I glanced at Thor, who gave me an urging look, and I answered the question, trying to keep the tension out of my voice. "My name is Raven Thorn. I helped stop Loki but had nowhere else to turn afterward, so Thor made an offer."

"So diplomatic; giving way no detail what so ever," Frigga scolded playfully from her place beside her husband.

"That still does not tell me why you came here," Odin scolded more sternly.

"It _is_ a long story, sir, one that I'm not willing to tell at the moment," I said. My hands started to fidget.

"Raven you must tell them!" Thor said shocked that I would dare to not answer the question right away.

"No it is alright Thor. I'm sure you both are weary and in much need of rest. We can attend to this later," Frigga said. Turning to Odin, she gave him a pointed look that was meaningless to anyone else but probably meant many things between the old couple, "Isn't that right dear?"

Odin shared her gaze for a few more moments before turning to Thor and I, "Yes. Besides, there are matters that I must attend to. You are dismissed."

Thor looked reluctant but turned and left.

I started to leave too, when Frigga came up to me. "Come, dear, I'll show you to your room."

I was very confused by her offer but followed none the less. Once we were out of the room, I said to her quietly, "It's not really a queen's job to show people around, is it?"

She turned to me and smiled brightly. "It is if they are a guest of honor."

I sensed that this was not why she wanted to escort me to my room though. However, like her husband I could not get a "read" on her. It seemed like a technique that everyone skilled in magic knew.

It turned out to be a long walk (all the way to the opposite wing in fact). I was starting to feel the last few days abuse again, and I soon began to fall behind. Frigga suddenly stopped in front of me looked back.

I raised my eyebrows questioning the sudden halt.

"I'm sorry, I was making sure you were still there; you're just so quiet," she said.

* * *

><p>There was something about the girl that reminded Frigga of someone, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it. It felt like the answer was so incredibly obvious that she was sure that she would figure it out later.<p>

It was the way the girl, Raven, held herself, Frigga was sure. Raven was obviously tired for her complexion was pail and a bit gaunt with dark half circles under her eyes to top it off, yet she held herself rigid and straight.

_Yes, but her face too_, Frigga though. The slim shape and high cheek bones, not to mention the blue-green eyes and _raven_ hair, were unsettlingly familiar.

Coming out of her thoughts Frigga became aware that Raven was not by her side. She took a few more paces, listening closely for foot steps, to make sure that the girl had not just fallen behind. Upon hearing nothing but her own feet clack on the floor, Frigga stopped and turned discerning if she could see Raven farther down the hall. She was surprised when she turned to see that the girl was only a few paces behind her.

The girl raised her eyebrows, obviously wanting to know the reason for the sudden stand still.

"I'm sorry, I was making sure you were still there. You're just so quiet."

Raven shrugged nonchalantly, and replied, "Always was quiet footed; I'm just a natural sneak, I guess."

Frigga turned and started to walk away, looking back once to make sure he girl was keeping up.

There was only one person in The Nine Realms that Frigga knew who walked so stealthily. At this realization all the other similarities between the girl and Frigga's adopted son became starkly apparent.

* * *

><p>"Here you are, dear," Frigga said as she pulled open the door.<p>

As I stepped inside I instantly started to plan escape routs and note all the exits before I even realized I was doing it. This is the legacy of living on the streets and being hunted for almost a third of my life.

The first room is a large living area with lavish furniture and an enormous fire place, but I barely noticed that except to plan in the event of needing to navigate around it in an emergency. I was more interested in the large window at the back of the room and the door to an adjoining room.

I stopped surveying the room for the moment to turn back to Frigga who was still standing in the door. "Thank you," I said trying to politely say 'get out of here'.

She shifted tensely but stayed were she was. I became aware that she was looking at me strangely, too.

"What?" I snapped rudely.

She glanced down awkwardly then looked back up, meeting my eyes. "You look very much like him and act like him too," she said in a low voice.

I was startled for a second then heaved an exasperated sigh, and said, "Is it really that obvious?"

Frigga gave me a sympathetic look and nodded. "To his mother, of course," Frigga said.

I gave another sigh and unburdened my shoulders, throwing my backpack down on a plush looking couch. I took the liberty of flopping down on the couch myself.

"I really don't want to discuss this now," I said trying not to sound too tired.

"Of course. _Tomorrow_ night is the return home celebration so tonight is free; we can all discuss this over dinner," Frigga said turning to leave, but stopping at the last minute. "Is it alright if I tell my husband of this?"

"Yes, please don't leave it all to me tonight," I said.

Frigga turned to leave again and closed the door behind her.

Once she was gone I put my face in my hands. Propping my elbows on my knees, I leaned my full weight onto them.

In a matter of seconds and without meaning to, I fell into an exhausted sleep in that awkward position.


	3. Chapter 3: Panic

Chapter 3: Panic

I was startled awake when a hand barely touched my shoulder. My muscles were working before I was even fully awake, and I literally flipped over the arm of the couch, acrobatically sticking the landing.

Adrenaline was already thick in my vanes and ready for me to use should I need to fight or flee. Then I saw my adversary and let out a puss of air. There was a tiny woman looking to be about in her forties (though I know she was probably over two thousand years old) staring at me wide-eyed and clutching her heart with one hand.

"I'm sorry ma'am, I didn't mean to disturb you," she said sounding somehow more worried for me than for herself, "I was sent to retrieve you."

I was confused for a moment, but then I looked out the window and saw that it was dark outside.

"For dinner?" I asked. She nodded and even cracked a smile, becoming a bit more relaxed now that I wasn't in attack position.

"I'm Oletha, I'll be your servant for the time being," the woman now known as Oletha said. "I came in earlier but saw you sleeping and decided to leave you be, seeing as the Queen had informed me that you would be weary."

Oletha stepped back and examined me like I was something on display. I instinctively crossed my arms over my chest defensively.

"Well, its really too late to do anything with you now, but, honestly, I think only Queen Frigga will mind," she said stopping her examination.

"That's good because I wasn't planning to get all dressed up anyway," I said keeping my arms crossed.

"Oh, dear, one of those," Oletha mumbled to herself. "Alright then we should get going; you're already late."

I followed behind her as we left. As we walked through the overly ornate halls, Oletha constantly checked behind her, each time wearing a confused and slightly worried expression. Eventually, it just became annoying, so I sped up to her side to stop her constantly looking back at me.

We walked under the enormous arch that was the entrance into the dining hall. Odin was at the head of the food laden table then Frigga on his left and Thor on his right. Oletha let me go ahead of her as I walked self consciously over to the seat beside Thor. Before I could do anything she slipped ahead of me and started to pull the chair out.

"Y-you don't have to do that," I mumbled as she kept pulling the heavy chair out of its place making me whence as it produced a loud screeching.

When she had it all he way out she gestured elegantly for me to sit.

"Alright then," I mumbled under my breath as I sat.

Oletha pushed me back into the table and scurried out of the hall.

As soon as the maid servant was out of the room Odin started with the interrogation that I didn't think would start until I had at least served myself. "Is what my wife says, true?"

I stalled for a few moments, tapping my fingers on the table. "Mm-hmm," I hummed simultaneously nodding.

There was a pause before he replied, "We should discuss this at another time then, in a more privet setting."

I breathed a small sigh of relief. I didn't have to discuss this for at least one more day.

It felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders, and I was now in much more of a mood to eat. I slipped off my gloves and started to load my plate.

As I was reaching for some seasoned vegetables (which looked pretty much like the normal potatoes, carrots, and green beens on Earth), Frigga asked, "I'm curious to know if you have any family on Midgard."

_Apparently I didn't escape an interrogation_, I thought sourly.

I continued to spoon food on my plate, not looking up as I answered, "No, my mother supposedly died giving birth to me, and I don't know any of her family."

Frigga gave Odin a quick glance before replying, "I so sorry." She gave me a sympathetic look.

I gave her a bitter smile, "Don't be. A person can't miss what they never had."

"This is true," Frigga said and became silent for a good while.

I tore into a roll and as soon as I had finished it, Frigga asked another deceptively innocent question, "Where did you live if you didn't have any family?"

This question I had a little trouble answering. "I-I, um, lived in orphanages when I was a baby, and then I…" I faltered. Thor who was such a sad sack at the moment stopped solemnly eating his food and looked at me with a mixture of shock and sympathy. He knew that I hated what came next, but he also didn't know about the orphanages that came before.

"And then you were adopted?" Frigga supplied.

"No, I was taken…to an institution," I said trying to keep the quiver out of my voice.

My breath suddenly hiked and my heart started beating so hard it felt like I was having a heart attack. I felt a tremendous wave of fear for no reason at all, and it was getting harder to breathe.

I was having a panic attack. One of these hadn't happened in a long time, so I was surprised along with distressed. I had eventually, after much practice, learned to keep control when a panic attack occurred (it wasn't real terror anyway, just a creation of my sick mind), but a panic attack could, for me, trigger a post traumatic stress episode and with those it is so much harder to stay in control.

_Why now_, I thought frustratedly, _Why freaking now?!_

All of a sudden, I was sliding the chair out from underneath the table and standing, even though I didn't remember telling my body to do so.

I was ready to run, to get out as soon as possible, but everyone was looking at me with shocked expressions. I felt inclined to say something on my behalf before I ran out the room making a monumental fool out of myself in the process.

"I am sorry, this and all your other questions will have to be answered when I'm not about to go completely insane," I said, my voice trembling uncontrollably. Actually it wasn't just my voice, my whole body was trembling uncontrollably.

I didn't bother to push in my chair as I jogged quickly out of the room. As soon as I was past the great arches of the Dining Hall, I broke into a sprint. However, I soon came to an abrupt halt, when I literally ran into Oletha.

We both went sprawling, but, Oletha being a full blooded Asgardian, suffered less from the collision. I on the other hand felt like I had just ran into a brick wall. _Note to self: make sure to never run into Asgardians; may cause internal and external bleeding._

Oletha quickly got to her feet and tried to give me a helping hand but I rudely waved away any hand that came too close to my person.

"I'm so sorry ma'am, I didn't see you, I swear," the maidservant said trying to amend.

"It-it's fine just stop trying to help," I said waving off another outstretched hand.

I was finally able to get up and straighten out my clothes awkwardly. All the panic had abated and now I was consumed by embarrassment.

"Could you please just show me back to my room?" I asked sheepishly looking down at my feet.

"Ah, yes ma'am," Oletha said.

She turned to leave and I followed suit.


	4. Chapter 4: Vulnerable

**Things get a little weird in this chapter so please bare with me.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 4: Vulnerable<p>

I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep, but I had tried for hours anyway. Now I was frustrated and done with trying. I sighed forlornly and threw off the heavy quilt.

I stayed fully dressed except for my jacket and sneakers. I felt vulnerable and naked with just these two things off. What if I needed to get up and run for my life at this very moment? I would be ill prepared. It was an irrational notion here in Asgard, but back on Earth I would never get this comfortable.

The fact that my arms were bare made me even more anxious. I know this was irrational because I was alone in my room, but old habits die hard.

I glanced at the mottled blue birth mark that was a big splotch on the inside of my left four arm. I didn't dare look at the exact same spot on my other arm. There you would find three numbers: 1-07.

They were numbers assigned to me by The Lab. Like I was an animal or a possession of theirs.

I would put my jacket back on just to hide those three hateful numbers, but it was hot in my rooms now because a fire had been stoked in the fire pit.

It had already been almost uncomfortably warm (apparently it was the middle of summer), but Oletha saw that I was still trembling slightly from my panic attack. I passed it off as me just being cold, but as a result, she insisted on making a fire.

I silently walked out of the bedroom and into the living area. I made a Lantern as I walked through the dark room to the couch, sitting down by my bag once I got there. Another thing I most certainly would not have done if I was still on Earth: leave my bag where I couldn't see it at all times.

I opened the middle pocket and pulled out two books. These books were brand new and had just been acquired earlier today.

I smiled, remembering the event just earlier today.

I had ridden with Tony and Bruce (in a very nice 2013 Mustang, by the way) to the drop off point. We had driven in front of a partially demolished 'mom and pop' bookstore, and for some reason I couldn't let us continue on our way without visiting them first.

I told Tony to stop at the store and he had looked at me in the mirror like I was crazy. Then I had said, "_You owe me, you douche bag, for that little stunt you pulled."_

Tony immediately pulled over. However he wished he hadn't when I started to help the store owner reorganize her dismantled store as best as possible.

The store keeper, Mrs. Stevenson had recognized us instantly, and had assured me that I didn't need to help her. Tony had, of course, jumped behind that, but I ignored the both of them.

I did eventually pick out the two books, and Tony ended up having to pay for me, though the store keeper said that I didn't need to pay for the books in the first place seeing that I had helped her with her books.

Tony had become incredibly impatient when I was helping the store owner, but I really felt like I needed a win after the whole Loki debacle.

I broke out of my trance and my eyes refocused on the covers of the two books I had laid out.

_This after noon felt like aeons ago_, I thought.

I picked up the Norse mythology book and idly flipped through the pages.

I was nearly startled into dropping my book when a loud knock sounded on the door.

I couldn't believe that I was so caught up in my thoughts that I hadn't realized someone was coming to my door. Well, actually that was happening a lot lately. I huffed in indignation to myself and put the book aside.

I went to the door and yanked it open. My eyes widened when I saw that it was Thor.

"I told them why you left; I hope I didn't overstep my bounds," he said. There was a slight slur to his words and I noticed the glazed look in his eyes.

"What do you mean 'why I left', and have you been drinking?" I asked concerned.

"Ah, yes, I have had my fair share of mead, and…" he frowned in sudden confusion. "What was the other question?" he said in a clear un-slurred voice. It was ironic view of the fact that he suddenly pitched forward right after he said that in such a clear voice.

I gave a yelp of surprise and caught most of his weight. I was repulsed by having to touch him but I was even more so when I caught a whiff of his breath. I helped him rebalance, and he gripped the door frame, seeming to cling to it for dear life.

"I am terribly sorry," Thor slurred.

"Maybe you should come inside," I said.

"No, no, I…" He swayed once sharply. I was afraid that I would have to catch him again, but he managed to keep his balance.

"Yes," I said forcefully and ushered him inside. He actually seemed to be more steady walking than standing in place (maybe alcohol has a slightly different effect on the motor functions of Asgardians?) He managed to stumble over to the couch with little of my help.

Thor laid down and seemed to nod off. I stood there starring, almost unbelieving. It was bizarre to see him so vulnerable—no that's not right, it wasn't bizarre, it was…_wrong._

I vehemently scrubbed my face with my hands and sighed, resigning myself to the new disturbing development.

I got comfortable on the adjacent couch, and tried to focus on the Norse mythology book that I had set aside earlier. However, my eyes kept flicking over to the prone man on the other couch.

I was startled when he suddenly spoke, "I remember now… I meant that I told Mother and Father why you had ran out during dinner." His words were still slurred but somehow clearer now.

"What did you tell them?" I asked, closing my book again.

"I simply said…that you disliked talking of your past because you were abused and mistreated."

_That is an understatement_, I thought morosely.

A few moments passed and Thor didn't say anything. "Thor?" I called softly and not receiving an answer.

"Th—" I tried again and was interrupted by a loud snore.

I groaned softly in exasperation.

* * *

><p>I had seen a man die from drinking too much alcohol before. I was sleeping in an ally, and I had woken up in the middle of the night, to the sound of puking. I watched for a little while, unconcerned for the man, and then when he passed out I just rolled over and tried to catch as much sleep as I could.<p>

When I woke up the next morning, the drunk was still there, lying in the ally floor, and he was giving me an unblinking, empty-eyed stare.

He had been dead for hours and rigor mortis had set in.

Can you imagine waking up and first thing you see are the empty eyes of a dead man? That had actually happened to me on more than one occasion.

That memory ran through my head all night long in a never ending loop, not letting me get an ounce of sleep.

To partially distract myself from those nasty thoughts I attempted reading my new books. Eventually I had given up on reading (I found that reading too many Edgar Allen Poe poems and short stories made me cry uncontrollably and I just wasn't in the mood to read the Norse Mythology book), so I started doodling idly in my notebook.

I heard a groan from the other couch, and I glanced up from my work and looked over the recumbent Asgardian. Satisfied that there wasn't anything wrong with him, I went back to drawing.

I was absorbed into my work once again; so much so that when Thor called my name quite groggily, I jumped and scribbled all over my sketch.

I quelled the urge to growl angrily and instead replied, "_Yes_?"

Thor looked around the room confusedly before asking, "Where am I?" He was a tiny bit alarmed by the situation he found himself in.

"You're in my room," I said testily. "You came here earlier tonight or…" I glanced at the window, seeing that the sky had started to lighted, "technically last night now, in a drunken stupor to tell me that you explained to your parents why I left early during dinner. Then you passed out on my couch."

Thor groaned and closed his eyes. He put a hand to his face. "I am deeply sorry that you had to suffer that."

I looked down at my notebook pretending to examine my work, and shrugged. "Don't feel too bad. It's not like you're the first drunk person I've ever had to deal with and certainly not the worst experience with one. Once I woke up to find a drunk bum urinating on me."

He stared at me in surprise. In return, I shot him a scowl. "What? By now you should know that all of my stories are going to terrible," I grumbled, turning back to my work.

An awkward silence filled the room until Thor swung his legs over the side of the couch and said, "I must be going before I am missed."

He started to stand, but I stopped him with a raised hand. "Before you leave, I want to ask why you drunk yourself stupid last night," I said bluntly.

He sighed and said, "Why does anyone drink: to forget their plight for a moment."

I nodded sympathetically. "Let me guess, it has something to do with Loki?"

"Yes," Thor said looking down at his feet.

"What specifically about him?"

"I remembered a time when Loki himself ran from the dinner table. That was when Father had announced the date of my coronation," he paused to sigh and then continued, "I began to think that if I had seen the signs earlier, then possibly I could have stopped Loki from becoming the man he is today."

I shook my head. I understand where he was coming from—I had often thought things like that myself—but I knew that it wouldn't do anyone any good to think like that.

"You shouldn't blame yourself for how Loki turned out, and really I think that whole sibling rivalry thing is misdirection. He's mad at everything and everyone because of his bad luck. Maybe its a little bit about sibling rivalry, but I think really he's more screwed up over what happened to his other children…." I had started to go off on a tangent but I couldn't stop now, "Or maybe he is jealous of you."

Thor furrowed his brow. "What do you mean?"

"Maybe…he's jealous of you over the fact that you haven't suffered like he has, that you have friends, that you're dad _does_ love you more," I said really starting to ponder the subject.

Thor sighed again, this time a little from annoyance. "I thought you were trying to make me feel better."

"Well, I was until it turned into me thinking out loud."

Thor gave a mordant snort and fell silent again, seemingly forgetting that a minute ago he was wanting to leave.

"But perhaps," Thor began suddenly, "if I had done something…" he trailed off.

"No, even if it is you're fault—and I'm not saying that it is—there's nothing you can do about it. It's in the past and now you just have to suck it up and deal with it," I said speaking from experience.

Thor tuned to me with a raised eyebrow. "Thank you for putting that so bluntly," he said sarcastically.

I shrugged. "But I am right, though, aren't I?"

Thor gave a half-hearted chuckle and said, "Yes, you are."


	5. Chapter 5: Reasons

Chapter 5: Reasons

I sighed in relief once Thor had left. Last night was stressful enough without a drunk thunder god.

I curled up on the couch, letting my eyes close for a few minutes. I started to drift off when I sensed someone coming down the hall._ Please don't stop in front of my door_, I though. Whoever it was did stop, and I sighed in exasperation. I lifted my head and looked out the window to see the sun was just coming over the horizon.

"Who could it possibly be at this ungodly hour," I groaned as I sat up.

Oletha came in with a tray. The contents of which was steaming, delicious smelling breakfast. "Oh you're up early," she said coming through he door to see me sitting on the couch, wide awake.

"Well you know what they say: the early bird catches the worm," I replied.

"Hmm, I suppose it does," the maid servant said while placing the food out on the table in the private dining area.

"It's just something we say on Midgard," I explained, sensing that she didn't really understand the saying.

"Oh, I see," she said, continuing to set up the table.

She finished and pulled out a chair for me. "You really don't have to do this," I said spreading my hands, gesturing to the table, "You could have just given me the tray and let me set it out."

She put a hand on her him and said, "This is my job. What else would—" Her eyes zeroed in on my still exposed fore arm. I had forgotten to put my jacket back on.

"Oh now, have you doodled on yourself?" Oletha said scoldingly. She reached for my arm and I quickly pulled it behind my back.

"I'm a bit chilled, um…I think I'll just go put on my jacket," I covered lamely. As I walked to the bedroom, I mentally berated myself for such forgetfulness.

I slipped on my jacket and went back to the dining area where Oletha was standing with both hands on her hips and a raised eyebrow. "You seem to be cold all the time; I recall you claiming that you were cold last night, too," she said suspiciously.

I shrugged and sat down at the table. I dove into the porridge in an attempt to ignore the suspicion towards me.

The maidservant sighed and started to walk out.

"The tailors will be by some time later to fit you," she threw over her shoulder.

I spat out what I had just shoveled into my mouth. "They'll do what now?" I said wiping the half chewed porridge off my mouth with a napkin.

"Sorry dear, I didn't quite hear you," Oletha called from, I think, the bedroom. I quickly trotted into the bedroom, where Oletha was making the bed (something that I had completely neglected to do). "What did you say again, dear?" she asked seeing my entry.

"Why are tailors coming to my room later?"

"Well, I already said: to fit you. Honestly, what else would they be doing," Oletha said while working, smoothing the sheets out with care.

"But why? I have clothes," I argued.

Oletha stopped her work and eyed me. "Those things," she said talking about my filthy worn out clothes, "How many changes of those do you have, one, two, maybe three?"

I suddenly became very interested in my feet.

"From what I understand, you'll be staying here a while, and my Queen refuses see you in those rags the whole time you're here," the maidservant finished.

"Oh, so this is her doing," I mumbled under my breath.

"Yes, it was the Queen's doing," Oletha said, surprising me that she heard that, "If you still have a problem, I suppose you can take it up with her."

I sighed and shook my head. "No, but _I am not_ going to like this."

"What's the problem?" Oletha said walking back into the dining area. I trailed behind her.

I simply groaned my distress and sat back down at the table.

* * *

><p>I winced as the tailor measured my outstretched arm from wrist to shoulder. His fingers pinned the measuring tape to both my shoulder and wrist. He took away the tape and wrote the measurement down.<p>

"Alright, sweet, we're done here," the tailor said. I let out a breath of relief to that.

As the tailor and his assistant left, I flopped down on the couch giving another sigh of relief. As soon as I had started to recover from that _horrible_ experience a heavy knock came at my door. I groaned and yelled, "Come in."

A guard came through the door. "The All Father himself requires your presence," the guard said stiffly, "I am to be your escort."

"You're joking right?" I said, incredulous of the terrible timing.

The guard broke his stiff attitude and looked at me confusedly. "No…ma'am."

I sighed and jumped up from the couch. "Fine, whatever, lets just get this over with," I said walking out the door not waiting for the confused guard to follow. He caught up to me and we walked in silence.

We came to the big gilded door I had first been to yesterday. My escort told the other guards to let us in and they quickly complied. When they opened my escort ushered me inside. He scurried away and the huge doors shut behind me. I was left alone to deal with the King of Asgard.

He eyed me from his golden throne. The last two times I had come face to face with him, it hadn't been nearly as anxious as this because I hadn't been alone. He didn't look threatening at all. Minus the gold and armor you would think he was an ordinary old man, that is if you were looking at a photograph. In person, there was a power emanating from him that I think most anyone could sense.

"Come forward, child," he called across the tremendous room.

I crossed the vast room. I kept my head held high, defiantly showing no fear.

As I approached the dais a wry smile spread across the king's face. "You do remind me of him."

At that my head finally dropped. "Please don't say that," I said in almost a whisper.

"You're ashamed?" the king of Asgard inquired

I snorted derisively. "He killed nearly one-hundred people personally, and several hundred indirectly; why wouldn't I be ashamed?"

Odin sighed and stepped down from his throne, making me take a step back in surprise.

"Loki was not always like this," the king said sadly. "Now, I have called you here so you could explain your odd predicament."

"Do you just want me to tell you my life story?" I said sarcastically.

The King chuckled, seemingly amused by my blatant disrespect. "That is not necessary."

"Okay, then, maybe I'll start with how Loki kept my existence a secret for all these years," I said putting a hand to my chin.

"No need, I consulted Heimdall yesterday as to how you could slip past his sight. He told me what you had said on the bridge and that Loki has used spells like this before," Odin said stopping me before I needlessly repeated myself.

I blew out a puff of air, thinking for a moment where to go next. "Well, I'll tell you why, then."

Odin looked curious. "Is this important?" he asked.

I shrugged and said, "Probably not in this case, but sometimes the motive is the most important part. It can certainly be the most interesting."

Odin eyed my thoughtfully and hummed to himself. "I suppose a look into the confused and disturbed mind of my adopted son could be invaluable. Proceed."

Suddenly there was a flash of movement out of the corner of my eye. I was momentarily distracted by it and looked out to the veranda, getting a glimpse of a predatory bird swooping by.

The King of Asgard cleared his throat bringing my attention back to the matter at hand.

"Sorry," I apologized.

I cleared my throat self consciously and said, "He said that he became paranoid after what happened to his other children. You know, Hel being banished and the murder of his sons."

It was weird talking to someone else about this. Not because I was divulging someone else's secret (no, I kind of enjoyed that, because can you imagine how pissed off Loki would be if he found out? I just get a kick out of that) but because I was talking about these people, and strangely enough they're my half siblings.

Odin looked taken aback and I was slightly surprised by his reaction. "What do you mean 'murder'?" he asked.

My hands started to fidget nervously. The tone that he used for some reason made me incredibly anxious. "Well, I guess you would call it a murder. Vali was turned into a wolf and then he k-killed Narfi, like a wolf would," I realized that I had begun to ramble, but it was too late for me to stop myself, "Technically the person who turned Vali into a wolf, was a murderer because that was their intention: for Vali, now a wolf, to—"

"Tell me who," Odin said in a low and threatening voice.

That snapped me out of it. I took a second to compose myself. I put my fidgeting hands away in my pockets and took a calming breath, then told him, "Loki said that someone who had a grudge on him personally, had turned Vali into a wolf, but he didn't tell me who."

Odin looked slightly distraught, but he was likely hiding most of his feelings.

I eyes widened with realization. "You didn't know; he never told you," I said, surprised at the revelation.

Odin's face became expressionless. He turned without a word and remounted the dais. He sat back down at his thrown. All pretenses of personal relations were gone now. "You are here to defend your reason of being on Asgard, nothing else," Odin stated forcefully.

I started to protest the sudden change of attitude, but stopped myself, thinking better of it.

"Yes, sir," I said reluctantly, and bowed my head slightly.

I told him of The Lab and how they would not leave me alone. I also explained how I wanted (needed) to gain more control over my powers and it was very unlikely there was anyone on Earth that could help me with that.

Odin was deadpan through the whole thing.

Once I had finished my story, he said after a moment of thought, "I will consider what you have said. You are dismissed."

So I left and was escorted back to my rooms.

* * *

><p>As soon as the girl left, Odin called one of his guards and ordered, "Bring me the prisoner Loki."<p>

"Yes, my King," the guard said and left.

It was nearly thirty minutes before the heavily chained, scowling Loki was brought into the thrown room.

"So soon, Odin; It has only been one day," he said scathingly.

"I questioned the girl, she told me much and revealed many of your lies," Odin said cutting to the chase.

The affected humor on Loki's face dropped and he growled angrily, "I will not speak of this."

"You do not have a choice," Odin argued, "and from what I gathered the child's life may be at stake."

Loki snarled like a cornered animal and yanked at his chains viciously.

"Then at least make these fools go away first," Loki said venomously.

"Very, well. You are dismissed," Odin said to the guards who gave him worried wide-eyed expressions but did not protest.

"She is not in danger. That danger was dealt with a long time ago," Loki stated confidently, but in the back of his mind he was not sure. This was indeed part of the reason he had kept Raven hidden.

"Why did you lie about their deaths?" Odin asked suddenly. He let genuine anger and betrayal into his voice.

Loki looked down and glared at the floor. "That little bitch!" he growled viciously.

"She told me that it had't been an accident, the death of your boys, and I suppose that is Sigyn included," Odin continued, "and she had said it had been done by someone who had a grudge on you personally." Odin rose from his thrown, radiating anger and betrayal. "Do you think as a grandfather and father-in-law I would not want to know of this?" Odin's fury rose with every word.

"You are not my father therefor you hold no relation to them either," Loki spat.

"NO!" Odin said and cracked the butt of his spear down on the golden dais. "You will not do this now. You will tell me why you kept their true fait a secret, then you will tell me who the murderer is!"

Loki stood there boldly glaring at Odin not answering.

"Loki! Your silence is a betrayal to them!" Odin shouted angrily in a last attempt to shame his adopted son into talking.

"I DID NOT KNOW!" Loki screamed with all the pent up fury and emotion that he had held all these years. "I did not know for years, until their butcherer finally came to me and revealed themselves," Loki snarled with venom.

"Why did you not tell me then?" Odin asked less harshly seeing that his son was in severe distress.

"I killed her. I am sure of it. She was dealt with; I saw no reason to tell you," Loki said acerbically.

Odin wanted to sigh in exasperation and tell Loki that he wanted to know because, contrary to what his adopted son thought, Odin had cared deeply for those young boys who had just begun to start life. He had also cared for the kind, gentle woman that had been Loki's wife. But then he knew Loki would scoff and argue other wise.

"She? It was a woman? Who?" Odin asked.

Loki growled out, "Why should I tell you? What does it matter now?"

Odin calmly sat back dow on his thrown, pretending not to care, "What _does_ it matter? Why should you _not_ tell me?"

Loki smirked cruelly. "You must take me for a fool."

Suddenly there was movement out of the corner of Loki's eye. A brown and gray blur flying out and away. It was alarmingly familiar.

It was a moor falcon. A bird which was very rare to see in the city.

_No, no it couldn't be_, Loki thought frantically.

A memory of that bird sprang forth.

_The Enchantress slid off of his blade and fell to the ground. She clutched her stomach and turned to him wide eyed, as if she had expected him to do nothing when she told him what she had done to his sons and wife._

_With a shrill cry, the falcon sprang from the tree branch it had been perched upon, and flew to defend its mistress. It came from behind Loki. He had barely enough time to turn around and defend himself from the fierce bird of pray. Loki made a sweeping slash with his knife that cut one of the falcon's wings, making a few of its primary feathers flutter to the ground. With another harsh cry, the moor falcon flew away, laboring in its flight._

_Loki turned back to The Enchantress…or where she should have been. The patch of earth where she had lain just seconds ago was now bare. The only evidence that she had been there at all were the few drops of her blood soaking into the earth._

"Loki! Tell me who!" Odin called angrily.

Loki was shaken from his recollection. Annoyed by Odin's commanding tone, Loki was tempted to down right disobey him and say no, but the situation may be dire. However, Loki refused to forthrightly obey, and was suborn just for the sake of being stubborn.

Loki raised his chin defiantly and said, "Should it suddenly become relevant, I will inform you."

Loki's statement made Odin absolutely livid, and he took great pleasure out of that.

Odin let out an angry huff and called in the guards, "Take the prisoner back to his cell," Odin ordered.

The guards started to pull Loki out of the room. He turned as he was being pulled out and said, "Oh, and Odin? If I may make a request: tell no one of her parentage, for her sake."

* * *

><p>The falcon flew high over the wild untouched expanse of wilderness, the only forest on Asgard. Suddenly there was a clearing with an actual man made structure in the middle of it. This was the only form of civilization (however small it may be) for miles.<p>

The wilderness was trying however to reclaim this land. The tower that stood in the middle of the clearing was covered in ivy and other growth. The stone walls were worse; they had fallen in a few places and were so covered in shrubbery in places that it was hard to see the stone through the growth.

The plants however did not go anywhere near the great stones that stood upright, placed around the wall. They were the true walls. Each held a large crystal and fowl runes carved in them that made any magical eye blind to the tower. Whether it be a skilled magician scrying or a certain 'golden guardian', they were blind, they were all blind to the tower.

The tower was an ancient edifice. Long ago it had possibly been built by a skilled mage, or more likely an evil sorcerer. It had been there long before the current occupant.

Lucky had it been for her to chance upon this ancient site.

The falcon swooped and landed in one of the tower's windows. The witch, or enchantress as she preferred, had sat waiting for the bird for more than an hour. A flash of pain sprang form the old wound in her stomach as she stood, but she ignored it and went to the falcon on the ledge.

It was her servant, her familiar. Many years ago, she had saved it form a hunter's snare, and as a rule it was bound to her in servitude. It gave her all the things that it had witnessed much like Hugin and Munin, the All-Father's ravens.

Maybe it was just luck or perhaps the universe giving Raven a break for once because if the bird had arrived at the palace only seconds before it would have over heard information that would be sufficient for its mistress to piece together the puzzle. As it was the enchantress was now dangerously curious as to why Loki would share all these things with that particular slip of a girl.

"You have done well, my friend," the enchantress told the moor falcon, "Rest for a day, then go back to the palace, and watch the girl in particular."


	6. Chapter 6: Trouble

**I thought the story didn't flow right when I separated these two chapters. Even though it makes this chapter over four hundred words, I combined the two chapters like I had originally had them.**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Chapter 7: Trouble<p>

The next two days were spent doing nothing. Well, I did nothing anyway; I don't know what everyone else was doing.

For those two days—and much of today—I had spent most of my time sitting on the window sill, either reading by the light of the Asgardian sun from either of the two books I had, or just simply staring out at the palace gardens.

At the moment I was doing just that: sitting on the sill gazing out at the gardens.

My eyes landed on a bright yellow butterfly that was flitting around from plant to plant sucking up precious nectar from the flowers of said plant.

I was pleasantly surprised when the bright little insect flew up to my window and landed on the glass. I put my hand to the glass where the butterfly was sitting, much like a child would do in the same position.

I startled when a loud banging issued from the other side of my door. The butterfly, apparently startled too, flitted away, and I looked on sadly as it fluttered on into the distance. My dismay turned to annoyance as another set of loud banding issued from the door.

"Would you just come in already!" I shouted, turning to the door.

The door opened cautiously to permit Thor. "Am I disturbing you?" he asked.

I sighed and glanced out the window looking for my butterfly friend one more time before turning back to Thor again, "No, not really. What do you want?" I said, coming over and sitting on the couch.

He shifted somewhat embarrassedly before speaking, "It's been four days since you arrived and you still have not had a proper welcome."

I shrugged, not particularly bothered by that fact. "It's not that big a deal."

"To most it would be a great offense," Thor asserted.

"Well, to me it's not," I said shrugging once more.

"But still it has bothered me," he insisted, "and I would like to make amends by showing you around the palace."

"Not to be rude, but don't you have better things to do?" I asked bluntly.

"Not at the moment, no," Thor said.

I considered it for a minute, then shrugged my shoulders. "Alright, whatever," I said, standing up from the couch, "Lead the way, my lord."

* * *

><p>"Where would you like to go first?" Thor asked as we rounded a corner.<p>

I shrugged again. "I don't really care."

"Surely there is someplace you would like to see?" Thor asked almost a bit pleading this time.

I shrugged once more and said nothing.

"I walked in while you were gazing out into the gardens, right?" Thor said, looking expectantly to me.

I gave him a simple nod, not feeling very talkative at the moment for some reason.

Thor nodded and said to himself, "Alright then."

There was a moment of pristine silence where its only interruption was the thud of Thor's boots on the marble floor. That moment was suddenly shattered when I—seemingly for no reason—blurted out, "What are they doing with Loki?" I was so surprised, myself, that I slapped a hand over my mouth.

Thor turned to me sharply, suddenly stopping, "What?"

I shook my head vehemently and didn't look up at him. "No, no, nothing. I didn't… I'm not…" I cringed at the sudden turn of the conversation.

There was an awkward stretch of silence, then it was blessedly broken when Thor said, "Loki is being held in the dungeons where he awaits his sentence. Why do you ask?" This, however did not make the situation any less awkward.

I shuffled my feet awkwardly and idly pushed a piece of hair behind my ear before saying, "I just…I really don't know where that came from." And strangely enough it was the truth.

Thor eyed me for a minute and then started to walk again.

"Loki will not be sentenced for a while; there is much else that Father must worry of at the moment."

"Like what?" I asked, earnestly curious.

"The reconstruction of the Bifrost," Thor said staring ahead, "and there is talk in the Nine Realms of war."

I furrowed my brow in confusion. "Why would there be war, and how would you know? We're kind of cutoff from the rest of the universe at this time."

"Not exactly. You see my Father has his ravens—"

"So they're real too, huh? Hugin and Munin, right?" I asked cutting Thor off.

He glanced at me, blinking in surprise. "Yes; how did you know?"

"Well, I'm sure you know we had myths on Earth about you guys, and I just liked looking up that sort of stuff when I was bored," I explained briefly, "Anyway, you were saying?"

"Yes, right. Well, they are small so it is easy for Father to conjure them into other realms then bring them back and have them tell him what is conspiring around The Nine."

I wanted to ask how a bird can tell someone something but decided against it and asked instead, "And then why would war be brewing?"

Thor sighed and shook his head. "They are loosing faith in Asgard and seek to oust all of the Asgardian influence and control in their realms," he said sadly.

"So you have, like, army bases in each of the Nine Realms?"

"No, but in a few realms there are, and the Asgardian men there are stranded for the time being."

"Sucks to be them," I said bluntly.

"Indeed," Thor said.

We rounded another corner and ran into Frigga.

"Oh, I was just about to come for you, Raven," Frigga said when she saw me with Thor.

"Mother," Thor said in greetings. "What do you need Raven for?"

"Yeah," I piped up simply because I felt like they were talking about me like I wasn't even there. They both gave me funny looks and I cleared my throat a bit sheepishly.

"I wish to talk with you," Frigga said addressing me directly this time.

I looked to Thor and he shrugged. "We can continue at another date." Thor acted nonchalant, but I sensed a seed of dejection growing rapidly in him.

I shrugged, feinting ignorance to his depressed state, and said, "Alright, but since you made such a big deal of it, I'm going to make you commit. We are continuing this tomorrow after lunch. Deal?"

"Deal," Thor said chuckling. His mood was a little brighter now, and as we went our separate ways his mood lifted a little more.

* * *

><p>As I passed the thresh hold and gazed at the interior of the room, I gasped. It was huge for one thing (it was actually small compared to a lot of the rooms in the palace) but that seemed to be the thing here in Asgard. What was really amazing was that the walls were covered in shelves from floor to ceiling filled with books. It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.<p>

"So this must be the library," I breathed, not talking to anyone in particular.

"No, dear this is just my study," Frigga replied with a chuckle.

"Just your study!" I said incredulous. I walked around looking at the books. "Man, if the library is bigger than this, I might just pass out upon seeing it," I murmured to myself.

I picked out a book from the shelf, and looked at the title. It was almost instant, but I was sure it had changed right after I looked at it. Now it read: _The Chronicles of the Elves_.

"Um, ma'am," I said awkwardly not really knowing what else would be appropriate to call the Queen of Asgard, besides "my Queen" or "queen Frigga", which I refused to do.

"Yes, dear?" she answered, standing idly by, watching me with obvious amusement.

"This book…" I started cautiously, "is it enchanted or something? Because I could have sworn that it had said something earlier."

"Aha!" she said almost triumphantly, taking the book from my hands, "No it is not enchanted, which means you possess the All Speak. That is good, very good; it will make things much easier."

She put the book back in its place and went to sit down in a comfy looking armchair.

"The All Speak?" I said sitting down across from her in another armchair. "I'm guessing it's like speaking in tongues—oh, but you don't understand that reference," I said mostly thinking out loud.

"I get the gist of it, dear, and yes I suppose it is," Frigga said. "I'm glad that you have the All Speak; I was afraid that since you are half human, you might not posses this ability."

"Well, I'd give up this wonderful little gift to be full human," I said mordantly. "In fact I'd give up all my _'gifts'_ to be full human."

Frigga gave me an incredulous look and said, "Surely you don't mean that."

I shouldn't have said that, I know. Revealing my true feelings always made things messy. I quickly tried to amend my idiotic mistake.

I shook my head. "I didn't mean to say it like that." I most certainly did mean to say it like that.

"Alright then," Frigga said, dropping it, though I'm sure she didn't really believe me.

There was a pause and in that pause, Frigga eyed me silently, probably comparing me to her adopted son judging by the way she looked at me. I fidgeted and squirmed awkwardly in my seat under her penetrating gaze.

She stopped "examining" me and took a breath. "Now tell me of your powers. I need to know what we're dealing with," Frigga said, breaking the silence.

I tensed at the question. "Do I have to tell you?" I asked tight lipped.

"Yes, I need to know to make an accurate lesson plan," Frigga answered like a queen would and also simultaneously like a mother would.

"Lesson plan?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"We'll get back to that later, my dear, now tell me."

I heaved a sigh and relented, "I can make these…benign balls of light—I call those Lanterns—, and I can make plasma balls that look exactly the same but are not so benign. I can also control electricity pretty easily; I actually did that a lot. Another thing that I did a lot was make Shields or…energy barriers, I guess."

I had been looking down at my hands in my lap during the explanation. Once I had finished I looked up at Frigga. She was still looking at me expectantly.

"That's not all is it?" she asked.

I forced my self not to cringe when I had the overwhelming urge to.

"I can also make fire, but I…I can't control it; it only happens when I _loose_ control."

Frigga nodded in understanding. "Fire is often a symbol of chaos, and it can be a very unwieldy when an inexperienced magician tries to use it. Don't worry, sweet, we'll work on that." Turning to a new subject, Frigga said, "Now tell me more about your empathy."

I nodded and complied, "I can sometimes sense a person's emotions through a solid wall; at those times it's like I can't even tell which emotions are mine or someone else's." I suddenly had to fight the urge to shudder. Even though it was unpleasant to explain, I continued, "And when people touch my skin…"

"There's a Melding?" Frigga said. I looked at her confused and she realized I of course had no idea what that was. "Sorry, I forget. A Melding is something that happens only to very strong empaths. It's called a Melding because it is almost as if the souls are _melded_ together. That is what happens to you, correct?"

I nodded.

"That brings me to something else," Frigga said, getting up and going over to a desk in the corner. She opened a drawer and pulled something out, though I couldn't tell what it was instantly.

Frigga walked back to her seat with it and held it out for me to take it. It in question was a necklace with an uncut crystal in a wire cage as a pendant. The crystal was translucent with milky white swirls formed in its structure.

"What is it?" I asked, still looking at the crystal.

"That is a special crystal that will help dull your empathy," Frigga said, "Some empaths have to wear one of those all the time to keep from going mad, so just be thankful of that."

I slipped the long chain over my head and instantly there was a difference. It wasn't like a sudden BAM and the whole world was in color were as it had been gray a moment ago, but I did feel a tiny change. It would probably become a big change once I get around people and actually test it out.

I suddenly remembered something I had forgotten to tell Frigga.

"Oh, I, um, forgot to tell you something about my powers, two things actually; I don't know if it's important or not," I said sheepishly.

"You never know," Frigga said, "What is it?"

"I had caught my friend when he was falling…I caught him with my mind," I said a bit nervously for some reason.

Frigga nodded, understanding where I didn't. "Yes, Mind Moving during heightened stress is very common. Now what was the other thing?"

"Well, I don't know if this is really true or not because it came from a not so reliable source but supposedly when I was a baby I had made frost thicken on the walls of my nursery. My source said it was when I was really calm. I don't know if…." I trailed off when I saw the reaction I received.

Frigga's eyes had widened in horror and she had placed a hand over her heart.

"What's wrong," I asked concerned.

She took the hand off her heart and tried to wipe the horrified look off of her face. "Nothing dear, nothing." Changing the subject Frigga said, "Do you need me to escort you back to your room, or can you remember your way back?"

"I can remember my way," I said, still looking at the queen warily.

"Good. I'll see you out then," Frigga said standing up. I followed suit and she ushered me out.

Right as she was about to close the door, Frigga stopped and looked me in the eye very seriously. "If you wish to learn why you have the ability to make frost, you must consult Loki. It is his business, and his secret to tell," she said, then closed the door before I could say anything.

* * *

><p>My curiosity had gotten me in trouble before and it probably would now. I was itching to know why Frigga had said what she had, and that itch had not abated throughout the day; it only increased.<p>

Why did she instantly load off the responsibility to Loki, who seemed to be the least responsible?

I would find out soon.

I glanced at the dark sky and then back to my half finished meal. I forced myself to eat another bite and then turned to Oletha who was standing by.

"I finished. I'd like to turn in early," I deadpanned.

She raised an eyebrow and said, "You left half of your meal uneaten, and it's just gotten dark. Are you feeling well?"

She started to advance on me, probably with the intention to put a hand to my forehead checking for fever.

I waved her off. "I'm fine. I'm just planning to get up early tomorrow."

"For what?" Oletha asked skeptically.

"For business with Prince Thor. It's very important and I can't tell you," I said a little testily.

"Well, then you'll need your strength; eat up," Oletha said, punctuating her point by pushing the plate closer to me.

I sighed, making it sound genuine. "I have butterflies in my stomach is all," I said not having to lie one bit. "Look, you can just bring me an extra big breakfast in the morning," I tried to bargain.

Oletha heaved an exasperated sigh, and gave up, putting my plate back on the tray.

"Fine, but you will eat every bit of breakfast tomorrow." She picked up the tray and started to walk out.

"Yes, ma'am," I murmured.

I got up from the table and went to the bedroom to wait for the right time to sneak out. I sat on the bed for a while reading several poems and short stories from the Poe book. After a few hours passed and I was sure it was getting late, I put down the book, and slipped silently out of my suite.

It was dark in the hallway. Only flickering torch light illuminated the shadow clustered corridor. _Perfect for sneaking_, I thought, smirking to myself.

A guard appeared out of nowhere, and there had been no warnings by my sixth sense. I had barely enough time before the guard saw me to hide in the deep shadow beside a pillar.

I realized that I was still wearing the crystal that Frigga had given me. I held the crystal in my hand knowing that I should take it off for the sake of the mission, but I had relished the calmness it had provided me all afternoon. I was worried that it might interfere with my my other extrasensory perception and not just my empathy. I decided that I would take it off for now and on my trip back I would put it back on because I would have already learned the way and I wouldn't need my ESP.

With the next guard, I didn't even need my sixth sense for, I could hear him from way down the hall his footsteps were so loud. I was well ready to hide when he came upon me.

I lost track of where I was going after a while and fell into a trance like state, mindlessly following my instincts.

I came to large set of doors (that were open, thankfully; I don't know if I could open them without making any noise) beside which two guards stood. I hid behind a pillar, and crouched down knowing that I would have to wait for my opportunity.

Before too long, my legs grew completely numb, and I longed to shift them. However, I squashed the urge. Finally, the guards abandoned their posts to retrieve their replacements.

They passed right in front of my hiding place, only a foot away from me. As soon as they were out of ear shot I let out a quiet chuckle, enjoying the fact that I had just slipped past the best trained soldiers in the whole universe like they were underpaid mall cops.

Like a shadow come to life, I glided to the dungeon door. I slinked through the gilded doors and padded down the steps.

The dungeons were dark and dreary as one would expect, and all the cells were dark, where inside people convicted for whatever reason, slept. The only illumination for the underground prison was the golden light emanating from the energy fields trapping the prisoners in their cells.

I walked silently through several isles occasionally glancing at the prisoners in the cells, until I came to the cell of the convict I sought. They all snoozed soundly, except for Loki, who stood with his back turned to me.

I waited for him to notice me, but when he didn't turn around or say something for a whole minute I looked closer at him. His whole body was rigid and his hands were clenched into fists so tightly that they trembled sat his sides.

Seeing him like this was actually quite unsettling, more so than when he would give me one of his wolfish grins.

I cautiously cleared my throat to get his attention. He wiped around, his eyes wild and almost rabid.

I forgot that there was still a barrier between us, and took several frightened steps backward almost bumping into the cell behind me.

His face softened with recognition and he actually looked relieved. He didn't try to hide it either; possibly because he was too relieved to remember to.

"Jeez, did you have a bad dream or something?" I said sarcastically, lowering my voice to little more than a whisper.

The relief was suddenly gone from his face and was replace by annoyance.

"What are you doing here you twit?" Loki hissed.

I noticed a slight tremble in his voice. _Damn, must have been one heck of a nightmare_, I mused wryly.

"You know, we need to stop meeting like this: you in a cell and me standing outside interrogating you. It'll cause an unhealthy relationship," I snarked, ignoring his question.

Loki eyed me warily as if he had just realized that he might have met his match.

"What are you interrogating me for this time?" he snarked back.

I stepped back up to the cell and said, "I got an interesting reaction when I told Frigga about that little story you told me of when I was a baby."

"You told her of the frost on the walls?" Loki asked giving me a strange look.

"Yes," I said warily.

"Why?!" Loki furiously whispered, "Why must you tell them everything?"

"I told Frigga because she doing an assessment on my powers to do a lesson plan," I said, "And anyway I told you I was done with secrets." I punctuated my statement with an angry swipe of my hand.

"There are a few secrets you must keep. You must not tell anyone else of your parentage," Loki said with a sincerity that I'd never seen him use before.

I started to ask "why" but realized that I was off track.

"I didn't come here to talk about any of this," I deadpanned, "Tell me what I want or I'll leave you alone with you're diseased thoughts once more."

He drew himself up and raised his chin. I was afraid that he would tell me to go away, but I was surprised when he started to explain. "Asgardians can learn to make frost or ice, but it is exceedingly rare—if ever there was a case recorded—for an Asgardian having an inborn talent for making ice as you did. They are naturally fiery by nature," Loki said cryptically.

I furrowed my brows. "But then how can I do it?" I asked looking down at my shoes in thought.

The realization hit me like a tone of bricks. _But that couldn't be_, I thought, _He couldn't be one; he certainly doesn't look like one._

_"__What_ are you?" I hissed.

He paced around his cell idly, not answering my question immediately. "I am almost amused by the fact that no one has told you yet," Loki said mockingly.

"_Tell me_," I snarled, at my wits end with him.

"How about I show you instead," Loki said and a cruel smile curved his lips. Suddenly he took on a bluish tint and patterns seemed to scribe themselves on his skin. His eyes turned a frightening shade of scarlet that seemed to glow in the orange light given off by the energy barrier.

I reeled back in shock, and bumped into the cell behind me. I yelped as pain shot through my shoulder where I fell into the barrier. The pain sent me into a whirlwind like a panicked animal caught in a trap. I fled the frightening scene and ran through the dungeon blindly.

I ran up the stares, and into a pair of hands that seemed to come out of no where. I flailed and thrashed as arms twined around me. Another set of hands grabbed me, and I gave an ear splitting shriek that sliced into the silence and seemed to make the torches glow brighter, or maybe it did make the torches glow brighter.

A heat started to spread through my body. I knew I was about to loose control, but I didn't care. As I was about to light up the night with burning bodies, the second pare of hands clamped something around my wrists and the heat calmed down to a low smolder.

I was so shocked by this that I ceased my struggles and hung almost limp in the guard's arms.

The second guard held up a torch to get a clear look at my face. I felt his surprise when he saw my young visage.

"Who are you?" the guard asked.

His harsh words snapped me out of my daze and I looked at him annoyed.

"I am Raven Thorn, and if you haven't heard I am Prince Thor's friend and companion from Midgard who fought by his side helping him defeat the traitorous Prince Loki!" I said raising my voice until I was almost shouting at the guard. I straightened and lifted my chin defiantly, daring either of the guards to contradict me.

The guard that held the torch up to me blanched considerably, but he did not deviate from protocol. "I'm sorry My Lady, but you are not permitted to enter the dungeons especially not at this time of night. We will have to take you to the All-Father."

"At this time of night?" I said, giving a harsh bark of laughter, "He'll have your heads."

"He'll have our heads if we don't obey protocol," the guard retorted.

_See I told you that you would get in trouble and look what happened_, said the obnoxious, nagging little voice in my head that always unfailingly turned out to be right.

"Alright," I mumbled under my breath, "No need to rub it in."

"What was that?" the guard holding the torch snapped.

"Nothing," I grumbled as I was pulled away by the guards.

* * *

><p>The chamber door opened to admit a cross looking one-eyed god.<p>

I, for the first time, was actually afraid of him (of course I did my best to hide this fear).

"What is the meaning of this?" Odin said angrily.

"We caught her coming out of the dungeons, Sire," the guard holding torch said obediently.

I rolled my eyes; exasperated by the guard's implicitness. Such unquestioning eagerness to obey sickens me.

Odin caught my eye roll, and said grimly, "Trespassing is a great offense, child, and you should know this even if you are a foreigner. What have you got to say for yourself?"

"Well, I'd like to point out the fact that no one explicitly told me that the dungeons were off limits," I said, being a smart ass. I know I was probably digging myself deeper into a whole, but it was in my nature to be rude to authority.

I held a burning resentment for all authority, and I knew the reason for it too. It was all thanks to The Lab. Even though I knew that not all authority was like the guards or the Lab Coats from that awful place, I could not let my resentment go.

"You very well knew that you were not to go there. Why else would you slink through the shadows," Odin said seeming to become angrier.

"I was_ told_ to go down there," I said defiantly.

"By whom?" Odin said not expecting me to be able to answer.

I wilted a little. Frigga hadn't told me to break rules and go talk to my demented father (even though she did tell I would have to talk to him to get answers). Saying so would be a lie and it would cause needless strife.

I got an idea and gathered myself up again.

"You did," I said lifting my chin. At his startled look I continued, "You all gave me permission when you didn't tell me things I needed to know. For example, what Loki really is."

Odin's face became blank and he didn't say anything for several seconds.

"Unshackle her and leave us," he said suddenly.

"Yes, Sire," the guards said in unison, making me want to roll my eyes again.

The guards un-cuffed me and left. Odin turned to me once they were far enough down the hall and said, "If you transgress again there will be consequences. Go back to your rooms."

"Yes, sir," I said reluctantly. I of course had no intention whatsoever to head his warning. I already knew I would probably "transgress" many times in the future. I just wouldn't be stupid enough to get caught next time.


	7. Chapter 7: Friend

**Under great consideration, I've decided to change the name of this story. I just wanted to warn all my wonderful viewers in advance so you guys don't get confused next week when you logon to find a different story.**

**Anyway, please enjoy the story!**

* * *

><p>Chapter 7: Friend<p>

In the morning the gravity of it all hit me. I really am a monster, or at least half monster. Part of me wanted to deny what happened last night—pass it off as just a cruel trick, but another part of me knew.

Last night I had stayed awake for another hour brooding over the embarrassment of getting caught. Now that seems to me so childish and petty.

I was in a dour mood all morning. I even snapped at Oletha once for hardly any reason at all. Once I had finished breakfast I sat in my usual place on the window sill and stared out at the beautiful Asgardian day. _It should be raining_, I thought, _to match my mood._

There was a knock on the door and I called softly for them to come in. I sighed when I say that it was Thor.

"I'm sorry, but I just want to me alone today. Something happened last night," I said turning away from him and back to the window.

"Well…I suppose that's convenient seeing that I came to tell you that I can't spent the day with you either," Thor said cautiously.

I turned back to him with my brow wrinkled. "Why?" I said noticing that he was in full battle armor. He even had Mjollnir with him.

"There is a small village to the north that is being terrorized by a pack of wolves. They don't have the recourses to handle the problem by themselves."

I shrugged not realizing the seriousness. "Are they like super sized wolves or something?"

"Not to Asgard but they are much bigger and stronger than Midgard wolves," Thor said very serious.

I nodded absentmindedly and looked back to the window. "I see. You better get going then."

Thor left awkwardly and closed the door behind him. I was alone in silence once more.

As the day waned and morning became afternoon, I became restless. I paced around the room in circles for maybe several hours. I hit a point where I couldn't stand just pacing around the room any more, so I left my room and set out on my own not really caring where I went. Eventually I found myself in the gardens.

I walked aimlessly in more or less a daze, when a mud clod hit me right in the side of the face. I was wearing the crystal, so I had no idea who had thrown it or that it had been coming.

My head jerked in the direction of children's laughter. It was a group of mostly boys. They all wore common clothes, so they were probably the children of servants or other lower class that worked at the palace, except one girl that looked to be my age. She wore a lavish dress that signified her social rank.

She was standing at the forefront of the group covered in mud, so I knew it was her who threw the clod at me. They were all covered in mud actually. They must have been playing a game that involved mud throwing. The ground was soft from a recent rain, so it was perfect conditions for such a game.

"Did you just—" I started to say but was cut off by the girl.

"Yes I did! Are you going to do anything about it, scullery maid?!" she yelled.

I honest to God gaped at her. Her rudeness was something the likes of which I had only seen in myself and a select few others.

"Okay then," I said calmly which made the girl and most of the boys tilt their heads to the side confusedly.

I pulled off my gloves and calmly walked over to a mud puddle. I proceeded to scoop up a clump of mud. The girl had seen my intentions, of course, and was already running for cover. I aimed and threw, but my clod missed as she dashed behind a tree.

"Let the game commence!" a boy yelled, and scooped up a hand full of mud.

My eyes widened as I realized what I had done. I dove of the nearest tree as another boy aimed for me.

Safe behind my tree, I quickly scooped another lump of mud. I peeked from my hiding spot to see if there were any unsuspecting victims I could throw my clod at. Suddenly two boys jumped out and slung mud all over each other and laughed raucously. I aimed and hit one right in the face and the laughter ceased. They looked at me stunned for a moment then they gave a battle cry and ran at me full speed, mud clumps blazing.

I gave a startled yelp and ran for it. One mud clump hit me in the back. Before another one could hit me, I jumped behind a hedge. I army crawled for several paces until I was hidden under a smaller bush.

"Where'd she go?" I heard one boy say. I looked between the leaves of the bush and saw the other boy shrug. They looked around for a moment more then ran away to look for more hapless victims.

"I've never seen you before," said a girlish voice beside me, "Are you new around here?"

I turned to see the girl beside me. "Yeah, you could say that," I said.

"My name's Aina. What's yours?" said the girl now known as Aina.

"Raven," I replied.

Aina tilted her head to the side confusedly. "Why are you named after a bird?" she asked.

"Where I'm from that's an acceptable name."

She sucked in a surprised breath and her eyes became comically large. "Are you from another realm?!" she said loudly, making me look around hurriedly to make sure no one had heard.

"I should have known by your funny clothes. What realm are you from?" Aina said so fast that it took me a moment to process the words that had come out of her mouth.

"I'm from Midgard," I said with considerably less enthusiasm.

She gave an excited squeal that made me jump. "I've never met someone from Midgard. What is it like?" she said feverishly.

Just then a muddy boy walked by our hiding place mud clump in hand.

"Uh, I don't think this is the best time talk about that," I whispered.

Her green eyes became lit with excitement. "You're right," Aina said scooping up mud, "it's the time for this." She stood up from her crouching position and threw a mud clod at the boy who had just walked by.

The boy gave an angry cry when the clod hit its mark. He charged us but came up short when someone yelled, "Aina, come out this instance!"

Aina looked at me worriedly. "That's my father," she said in a quiet, horrified voice.

Aina cringed when her name was shouted again, and started to walk to her angry parent.

I trailed behind her, curious and worried at the same time, to see what would happen.

Aina walked slowly with her head bowed to a man that was dressed in armor. he had an air about him that screamed high up military officer. I instantly disliked him.

"Yes father?" she asked innocently.

"I have been looking for you for hours, and now I find you covered in mud playing with these common wretches?" the man said looking to me.

Aina followed his gaze. She shook her head vehemently and said, "She's not a common wretch. That's Raven; she's a princess from Midgard."

I almost laughed. I hadn't told her that I was a princess in any form or fashion. I certainly did not look like a princess either. It was funny to think where she got that idea.

"Enough of your foolishness," her father said grabbing her roughly by the arm and taking her away.

She looked back to me briefly and gave a half-hearted wave good-bye.

**000**

I sat reading quietly on the couch, my hair still wet from the bath I had to take immediately after I got back to my room.

I didn't have another clean change of my clothes that I brought, so I consented to wearing a simple gown I pulled from the wardrobe.

I got bored reading and put aside the book for a moment. I picked up the crystal hanging around my neck and simply looked at it, transfixed by the light glinting off of it. I smiled as a thought came to me. _Tony would have a field day trying to figure how this works,_ I mused, _Bruce too._

My smile fell as I remembered my friends on Earth. It was weird to admit it, but I missed them.

_No their not your friends; can't be, you only knew them a week_, I thought sourly.

"Yeah but it felt a lot longer than that," I said to myself.

I dropped the crystal and it fell back down on my chest with a thud.

I was just about to reach for the book again when there was a knock on the door. Thinking that it was Oletha with dinner I called out, "Come in." To my surprise it was the girl I had met today, Aina.

"Yes! I found you," she said with a triumphant grin.

"Why are you doing here?" I asked putting my book aside for the second time.

She came over and sat right beside me like we were old friends. "It took me forever to get away from my father. He'll be blistering mad when I get back, but I don't care," she said cheerfully.

"Alright, but why are you here, and how did you find me?" I asked, both confused and amused by the situation I found myself in.

"Oh, well you didn't tell me what its like on Midgard and I _really_ want to know," she said with an enthusiasm that I was beginning to believe was just her defining trait, "And how I found you, well that was a little hard, but I just went down to the scullery asking around for you and a nice maidservant told me where you were."

"Okay who are you, really? I mean I know your name, but I still have no idea who you are," I said starting to get a little frustrated with being confused.

"Oh, right. Well, my father is Oddvar, he's a high ranking general, and he brings me along occasionally when he comes to the palace to speak with the All-Father, so I know this place pretty well," she said the last part bait smugly.

"Why does he bring you with him?" I asked.

"Because I beg him to, and also he hopes that I'll become a royal advisor one day."

"Well, that's nice," I said not knowing what else to say.

"No, it's not nice!" Aina suddenly shouted right into my face, making me nearly fall off the couch, "I don't want to be an advisor! I want to be a dancer," she gave a dismayed huff and settled down, "but my parents think that it would be atrocious for the daughter of a general to be a dancer."

Once I had recovered from nearly having my eardrum blown out I said, "Well they don't have a say in what you do; you make your own choices."

"But they'll be disappointed, angry even," Aina said looking at me worriedly.

"Well you can just tell them how it is: this is your life you do with it as you please."

She stared at me for a moment then suddenly squealed and hugged me fiercely. She jumped up and danced around the room for a while (in which time I was still in shock from being attack-hugged) then came sat down and tried to hug me again. I held an arm out to fend her off just in time. She didn't seem to mind this, however.

"You are such a good friend!" she squealed.


	8. Chapter 8: Hurt

**This is mostly just a fluff chapter. Sorry about that, but things will start happening soon, no worries.**

**PS: sorry this is a little late. I wasn't feeling well both yesterday and the day before.**

**Anyway, on with the show!**

* * *

><p>Chapter 8: Hurt<p>

I had taken to walking through the gardens every day. In fact that was what I was doing at the moment. Even though Aina had gone back to her manor with her father two days ago, and it was much less eventful without her, idly walking through the gardens was better than just sitting around my room.

I smiled at the thought of the hyperactive little tomboy. I would try to write to her as much as I could.

Another thing I had taken a habit to was wearing the crystal. I never took it off, not event to sleep and I was dimly worried that I was getting addicted to its effects like a drug.

Still nothing had been done in the way of my situation. I had gotten no word from Frigga on when my lessons would start or if they would start period. I was pretty much completely out of the loop as to what was happening around me.

I hadn't talked to Thor since my talk with he told me he had to go save some poor village from a pack of wolves. I had caught glimpses out of me window of him walking toward the gates of the city. I suspected he was spending most of his time on the bridge talking with Heimdall. _Poor, guy he is worried and confused about so many things,_ I thought, _Loki, me,…Jane._

I was worried for him in that respect. Jane was human; the most time he would have with her is one-hundred years. Plus, one brother had already fallen in love with a human, and look how that turned out. I mentally cringed at that thought.

I sat down on a bench and idly watched butterflies flitting from flowers. I was only dimly aware when another person came and sat down beside me.

"I see you've taken to walking the grounds like a lost sheep," Frigga said playfully.

I turned, surprised to see her. "What are you doing here?" I asked.

"I am sorry that I did not tell you," she said.

"About Loki?" It was really more of a statement rather than a question. Frigga nodded in reply.

She came out of the moment and said, "Anyway, I came to tell you that your lessons begin tomorrow. I'm sorry you had to wait so long, but there have been other issues that had to be dealt with."

"That's fine. It's actually been kind of nice just to have time to be bored," I said smiling slightly.

Frigga started to get up form the bench. Just before leaving she said, "And another thing: you are no longer considered just a guest; you've gained unrestricted access to any part of the palace. Good day now."

**000**

I don't know why I was going down there to see him. Maybe I just felt like I needed to exercise the newfound freedom. Or maybe I just wanted to talk to him.

I shook off the last thought and descended the stairs.

He paced back and forth in the middle of his cell, like a caged animal, but stopped when he saw me.

Where there had been nothing in his cell before there was now a bed and even a table and chairs.

I snorted as I walked up to his cell. "I thought prison was supposed to be a punishment not something you enjoy," I said mockingly.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Loki said ignoring my statement.

I shrugged and looked around idly, feinting nonchalance. "Can't I just come and talk?"

Loki scoffed and sat down in an armchair. "Is that really what you would have be believe?" he said scathingly.

"Well…" I said looking down thoughtfully, "It's the truth."

"Well, then, my dear, what would you have us discuss," he scorned.

"How about the weather? It's really something, huh?" I said mordantly with a cruel smirk, reminding him that he was locked in a dungeon.

In an instant all the snide humor was gone from Loki's face, and he suddenly stood up and towered over me. "I do not know what you have come to believe, but if you think for a second that I care for you or your worthless company then you are sadly mistaken," he spat viciously. "I would rather while my time away pacing like a caged animal rather than conversing with the likes of you."

I was shocked by his biting words, and winced as they hit home and stung like an angry bee. As soon as my shock abated, I destroyed the hurt look on my face and replaced it with cool indifference.

"Good to know," I said shortly and walked out without a backward glance.

**000**

Loki sat back down and sighed, covering his face with his hand.

He hated every evil word that had slithered out of his mouth, but it had to be done. Hopefully she wouldn't come back again.

It wasn't that he disliked her—no it wasn't that at all, he rather enjoyed her biting wit—it was that she had to stay away from him. If someone saw that she was coming down into the dungeons to meet him, they might get suspicious, they might even spread it around, then Amora might hear, and she might be apt to seek revenge on him once again.

_The Norns only know how vindictive that woman is_, Loki thought.

In the back of his mind he knew it was madness, sheer paranoia, Amora is likely to be dead, but he didn't pay that any mind.

Protecting her might be a lost cause, however. Her number had been up a long time ago. It was sheer miracle that she even survived her own birth. Loki remembered the tiny infant whose mother had died in it's stead. In a way she shouldn't have even been born. Loki himself was fated to die as a babe. As was his true birth right: death. By extension, he supposed, this was all of his children's birthrights.

_Just the same_, he thought bitterly, _I wouldn't want my depravity to rub off on her._

**000**

I made it to my room before I broke down in tears. I flopped down on my bed, covering my head with a pillow. I did not howl into it however; I refused to wale and scream over what that bastard said.

It still hurt like hell, and I didn't know why.

I gave an angry growl and threw the pillow across the room. "I HATE HIM!" I shrieked.

_Then why do you care what he says_, said that annoying little voice again.

What the heck was I thinking in the first place! Did I want to be ridiculed or spat at? Have I become a borderline masochist?! What did I expect in the first place? That he would welcome me with open arms? Yeah get real.

I knew now all the stuff he said on Earth about him trying to protect me was a lie! He probably hid me away because he was embarrassed of me. I was the testament of his fornication with a _human—_a creature so beneath Asgardians that they were little more than animals.

I thought for a moment, then gave an angry huff and jumped out of bed, refusing to mope over him.


	9. Chapter 9: Snow

Chapter 9: Snow

"Go ahead, Raven. Show him," Frigga encouraged.

"I'm just not one for showing off," I said with a mischievous smirk.

"Oh, who do you think you're fooling," Frigga scolded playfully, "Just show him what you've learned."

I shrugged my shoulders and began to concentrate. Soon enough I was doing it.

When we had first began our lessons, Frigga had started me out on very simple things like meditation techniques and how to sense energy distortions. Then she moved me up to more of what you would expect of magic. First thing was first: to get my control on fire properly. I had been stumped on that for a while. Frigga had told me this was because I was resisting, and that I was afraid to use or make fire consciously. Of course I was afraid! I had killed people before with fire that had gotten out of my control. Anyway, we then went onto something a little more difficult…for Frigga. She tried to teach me to use ice. Really it wasn't so much that she taught me that I taught myself or rather just regained the ability. I did it in no time, really. When I asked Frigga why I had lost this ability in the first place she told me that it was likely I had made a psychological block that made me suppress this ability.

Eventually we got to the really cool stuff like controlling light. The first step would have been learning to make light, but I already knew how to do that (i.e. my Lanterns). Then invisibility which I was learning now.

Thor who had decided to watch in on our lesson today, blinked in surprise.

This was on the rare occasion that he was free. Most of the time these days he was off fighting battles in the waring realms.

A grin suddenly split his face and he laughed. He looked to Frigga with a nostalgic expression on his face. "Mother, may I say, teaching her invisibility might have been a mistake. Don't you remember all the trouble Loki and I got into using that spell," Thor said mirthfully.

As the cold wind buffeted my clothes and hair, the illusion flickered just a little, and then with a big gust it flashed out completely. I cursed quietly to myself, and Frigga and Thor both chuckled at my dejected expression.

"I suppose we should have done our lesson inside today; it is colder than Jotunhiem out here," Frigga said, exaggeratedly rubbing her arms.

I shrugged, "I like the cold. I just don't like all the wind; it's gustier than a bellowing bilgsnipe out here today."

"Well, unlike you, the rest of us are just glad that the end of winter is nearly here," Frigga said standing up. The rest of us stood up with her.

"The lesson today is done. Go about your business." Frigga and Thor walked back toward the palace, and I continued on into the courtyard.

Hardly a soul was out today, for it really was bitterly cold. The weather had taken an odd change. Only last week it was quite pleasant, almost like spring weather, but I liked it better this way.

A sour thought made my lip curl in distaste. _Yes and do you remember why you like the cold so much? _I shook myself of the thought and continued on.

My dress fluttered in the wind and the cloak that I wore billowed behind me. _Yes, _I had eventually submitted to wearing Asgardian clothes. I still refused to wear the customary slippers that had been first provided for me. However I could not wear my old ragged sneakers anymore. Holes had worn themselves into the soles, and even I had to admit that they were unfit to wear anymore. I ended trading them in for a pair of men's boots that came up almost all the way to my knees.

I was an odd sight and anyone who hadn't met me before looked at me funny when they saw the hodgepodge that I wore.

Another thing that changed about my appearance was my hair. I had let it grow longer and now I wore it tightly pulled back in a ponytail.

I still wore the crystal around my neck. At this point I never took it off, except for the occasional lesson when Frigga wanted to address my empathy. I was slightly worried that it had become a full blown addiction, but when ever the the thought arose I quickly shrugged it off.

A sudden shout brought me out of my thoughts. I turned and looked to see the cheerful face of Aina.

She rushed up and hugged me fiercely. I held back for a moment then relaxed and returned the hug.

This was yet another thing that had changed about me. I still did not like to be touched, but over the months of assured safety, I had calmed down and let people become more close to me.

Our hug lasted for a long time until eventually I said, "Aina, it's good to see you too, but don't you think that we've hugged long enough?"

A sudden shiver racked the hyperactive girl and I heard her teeth chatter. "No, it's so cold out here, we need to share our warmth to keep from freezing," she said into my shoulder.

I rolled my eyes and pulled her off me.

"If your cold then lets go inside, instead of staying out here hugging," I said pretending to be annoyed.

**000**

"Why are you here?" I asked a bit bluntly. With anyone else I would have been a bit more tactful, but I knew Aina didn't mind.

"My father is just coming back from his leave; he needed his new assignment," Aina chirped. She suddenly rapped her arms around her and pretended to be cold again. "I just wished it hadn't been so cold. It made for a miserable journey, and will make for a miserable trip back, too."

We sat my the fire which Oletha was very kind to make for us (though I could have made it on my own, if you know what I mean). I sat up on the couch away from the fire, but Aina sat as close as she could, snuggled up in a blanket and drinking a mug of warm diluted mead.

"Well, maybe it will snow; that would make up for it some," I said trying to look on the bright side for once. I think I was really just defending my precious cold.

Aina took a sip of her drink and shook her head. "It may get bitterly cold but it hardly ever snows. I've only seen a snow twice and it wasn't very much either time; hardly enough to make a snow person," she said huffily with an over exaggerated scowl. I chuckled lightly at her expression.

"Well, maybe it will this time; you never know."

Aina stayed with me in my rooms for most of the rest of the after noon until a servant was sent to bring her back to her guest quarters. We said our goodbyes and Aina promised to meet me before she left tomorrow.

For the rest of the evening, I was quite bored so I went to bed early after eating dinner.

That night I dreamt of snow.

**000**

The enchantress was wakened suddenly. She could feel the power even from this far away. It was immense. Only Odin himself had such power, unless…

"No it can't be," the enchantress said to herself.

She threw the quilt off herself and jumped out of bed. She walked up the dim staircase to her study and 'work shop' as she called it. Once there she went straight to a cabinet and flung it open. She grabbed a vile, uncorked it, and drank the contents.

"Show me the wielder of this power," she said and the potion did it's work.

In her mind's eye a picture of the little witch came forth.

The enchantress opened her eyes and frowned. "That can't be!" she shouted, "How can a worthless Midgardian be more powerful than me!?" The enchantress threw the vile across the room and it shattered against the wall.

She gave a frustrated huff and said to herself, "I think our meeting will have to be sooner than I originally thought."

**000**

Something heavy landed on me, and I jerked awake. Said heavy object proceeded to scream in my ear, "It snowed just like you said!"

I sat bolt upright, shocked into wakefulness. "What?" I simply asked.

Aina looked at me with almost rabid excitement in her sparkling green eyes. She stood up on my bed and jumped a few times. "Yes, you heard me! It snowed last night!" Aina said continuing to jump excitedly on my bed.

I jumped out of bed suddenly excited. "Then lets go!" I hurriedly put on my boots and gloves and ran out not even thinking to get dressed first. Aina on the other had had thought ahead (this was a rare occasion indeed) and was already dressed warmly and ready for the biting cold.

We both ran excitedly for the courtyard, nearly running into servants and other nobles on our way. When we got outside I jumped headfirst into a snow drift, making Aina fall down laughing when I came out covered in snow.

"I love snow!" I said laying down in it. I started to move my arms and legs up and down. When I felt that I had made a respectable impression in the snow I stood up and dusted myself off.

"What is it?" Aina said curiously.

"It's a snow angle," I said

She tilted her head to the side confusedly and said, "A snow what?"

I thought for a second for how to explain it then, realized that I didn't have to, "It's a snow _valkyrie_." We both giggled to that.

Our laughter stopped suddenly when, I heard Frigga call my name. Aina's eyes widened as she saw the Queen behind me, and hurriedly dipped in a deep curtsy .

I turned to Frigga who was trudging through the snow toward us. "Please, Frigga can we not have a lesson today; there's snow that needs to be played in," I said throwing up a curtain of snow for emphasis.

I stopped and looked down at my self. "Or are you here to chastise me for wearing a night gown in the snow?"

"No, no, I…" she stopped and actually looked at me. "What are you doing you silly chit? Once I am done with you, go straight back to your room and get some clothes on."

I started to roll my eyes, but thought better of it. Instead I said, "Yes ma'am."

"Now come here," Frigga said, waving me over.

I shrugged and walked across to her. She took me by the shoulder and turned my back to Aina. She turned her back on the girl, too.

By my side, still clutching my shoulder, she hissed in my ear, "Do you even know what you've done?"

I was stunned by her tone and the way she was acting so secretively. I slipped out from under her grasp that had suddenly become like a vise and faced her.

"I don't know what your talking about," I said starting to get concerned.

Frigga looked down thoughtfully for a moment then looked back up to me and asked, "Did you have any dreams last night, particularly of snow?"

I kept the surprise off my face or tried to. How could she possibly know what I had dreamed of?

"No ma'am," I lied. Usually lying comes as a second nature for me, but for some reason that I couldn't quite figure out, I hated lying to Frigga. I did't know why I lied either. What's so important about a dream?

Frigga looked skeptical, but didn't push. She turned and started to walk off.

"Remember to put some clothes on," she threw over her shoulder as she left.

Frigga was gone, but I still looked at the direction that she had went.

"What was that about?" Aina asked coming up beside me.

* * *

><p><strong>I feel really bad about this chapter. There's just something about it that makes me hate it. If you guys have any suggestions please tell me because its driving me crazy.<strong>


	10. Chapter 10: Deadfall

Chapter 10: Deadfall

The scenery that was still covered in snow. The sun had come out and the temperature had risen slightly over the past couple days. Now the snow was starting to melt to my displeasure, but I suppose the ground can't stay covered in snow all the time.

I looked away reluctantly from the window when I heard a knock on my door.

"Come in," I called out.

Aina slipped in and gave me a bright smile.

"Hey, what are you doing?" I asked nonchalantly.

Aina's eyes slid to the floor and she shuffled her feet. "Well, today will probably be the last day that I'm at the palace with you. The weather is starting to clear up and the snow is starting to melt, so the roads will probably be clear by tomorrow." She still looked like she wanted to say something.

"And…" I said, coaxing her to spit it out.

"And I want to do something really fun—and maybe a little naughty—for our last day together for a while!" she said, giving an excited little jump at the end.

I hummed to myself thoughtfully then said, "Naughty _and_ fun, you say," I paused and a mischievous smirk spread over my face, "What do you have in mind?"

"Well, I've never been allowed to go into the city without Father before," Aina suggested.

It wasn't a kind of naughtiness that I would commit, (it was a bit lackluster in my opinion) but it might be fun anyway.

"Alright sure."

Aina gave another excited little jump and said, "Great! I'll show you a way we can sneak out!"

* * *

><p>"How did you know about this again?" I asked Aina as we walked through the dark tunnel under the palace. Only one of my Lanterns lit the way.<p>

"A palace boy found it and showed me it one time I came here with my father," Aina replied.

"Wish I had known about this before, I would have been using this all the time," I commented.

We came to a staircase and stopped in front of it, not sure what to do. Aina turned to me and shrugged. She climbed the stairs without another hesitation. I cautiously followed.

There was a trap door at the top of the stairs. Aina started to open the hatch, but I held out a had for her to stop.

"What?" she protested.

"We don't know what's on the other side of those doors," I cautioned.

"It's probably nothing," she said and before I could stop her, she opened the the trap door and climbed through.

I poked my head out of the hole cautiously and saw that the room was deserted. Sunshine streamed in through dirt incrusted windows. It was a living room with chairs and other fixtures covered in dust. It looked like the place had been abandoned for quite some time.

"See, nothing; just and empty room," Aina said standing above me.

"You got lucky," I said as I climbed the rest of the way out.

Once I was up on street level, I dusted myself off. I bent down to close the hatch. I looked back up at Aina and realized there was something off about her. I stood up again and looked at her more closely with narrowed eyes.

"Yes I suppose I did get lucky," Aina said in a tone I've never heard her use, "If you hadn't been wearing this," she reached out and tapped the crystal pendant, "you might have known that I wasn't your twit friend."

I backed up several steps. "Who are you?" I snarled.

What a fool I was. I let my guard down. Now I was likely caught in a snare or maybe this qualified for more like a deadfall. I had rebelled against getting comfortable for the longest time. My instincts kept telling me to stay on high alert. I had never gone against them before, and this one time that I slip up and ignore the alarm bells in my head, dismissing them as just paranoia, I pay for it.

I got ready to fight by reaching for the dagger strapped to my waist. I hadn't even pulled it out all the way when there was a flash of light out of the corner of my eye. I knew what it was: the lifting of a invisibility spell. Before I could react, I was struck in the back of the head by an immense force, and darkness instantly followed.

* * *

><p>Amora looked curiously at the girl lying unconscious on the floor. "Just a slip of a thing, really," she said to herself. <em>And yet she can wield such power.<em>

It may seem cruel to cut down this girl as she was just starting to live—fating her to die so young—but it seemed better to dispose of her now while she was young and her powers were weak than to wait until she was possibly more powerful than Odin All-Father himself. But of course Amora wouldn't dispose of the girl before she knew how this _human_ came by such power.

the Enchantress straightened and looked at her ally who was a tall brutish looking man. "Thank you for your service Scourge you always come through for me," she said giving him a seductive smile, "But I may need your help containing this one."

the Executioner got down on one knee and bowed his head. "What ever you wish, Enchantress."

* * *

><p>The first thing I became aware of was the motion. I could feel the motion, and every once in a while the floor would be jared. There was also a soft creek and groan every now and then, along with a constant sound of crunching gravel.<p>

The second thing I noticed was the lack of air. The atmosphere around me was stale and fowl. I opened my eyes and got an idea why there was so little air. The room was completely black without a speck of light. There was only the tiniest openings to allow air in.

I started to panic and gasp wildly for air. I coughed and sputtered, nearly passing out again. On the edge of consciousness I felt an infinitesimal breeze seemingly come from a crack. I dragged myself in the direction of the blessed air. As I crawled along the floor, I heard the sounds or chains, and realized the were connected to me, however I did not care. At the moment I only cared about breathing. I came to the invisible opening and sipped at the fresh air.

Laying near the crack, unworried anymore that I would suffocate, I drifted back into unconsciousness.

* * *

><p>Thor walked through the dungeons silent and sullen, dreading the news that he had to share.<p>

He came upon the cell of the man he once considered brother, but betrayal after betrayal worn away at that notion. He no longer felt sorry for Loki, or at least hadn't until now.

Loki had his back to Thor and didn't turn upon his arrival.

"It's been almost a year _brother_," Loki said venomously. He turned and gave a fake smile. "To what do I owe the pleasure of being graced by your presence," Loki said, his words dripping with sarcasm.

"I bring grave news, Loki. I ask you kindly to listen," Thor said solemnly.

"Oh?" Loki said patronizingly.

Thor just nodded, not rising to the bate. Loki quirked an eyebrow at this. "Well?" he asked

Thor sighed and looked sadly at his false brother. "Raven has gone missing. She hasn't been seen since day before yesterday morning."

The muscles in Loki's jaw tightened to where you would expect to hear his teeth cracking. Despite this, he more or less calmly turned his back on Thor and fiddled with some trinket on the table next to him, as if to say that he didn't really care one way or the other, but in truth it was to hide his face.

Thor knew this. "I am sure she is fine. We all know how she is; a free spirit," Thor tried to say reassuringly, though he didn't really believe it himself.

"If you truly believe that then you're _more_ of the fool I always thought you were," Loki snarled, still with his back to Thor.

"We will find her, brother," Thor pressed determinedly.

"Do not spout such inane things to me, _Odinson_," Loki threw over his shoulder. There was a lull in which Loki's manner changed slightly. He then said in a quiet almost defeated voice, "I know better."

"_Loki_," Thor said. The single word held so much meaning, sympathy and shared concern. It also held a tone of pleading in it; almost as if Thor was pleading with Loki to believe him that Raven would come back and would be alright.

Loki turned slowly back to Thor, at his name. He looked disdainfully at Thor and spat out, "Leave me now. It was pure folly on your part to even think that I would care about the well being of the child."

In that moment Thor wanted to yell at him that "the child" was his daughter, but he held his tongue.

"Loki, it is not folly to show the slightest affection; to _love_!" Thor urged him desperately to see.

Loki sneered at that. "Love—as one of your allies on Midgard had so eloquently put it—is for children."

Thor looked sadly at the man he had once called brother, but in that moment he gained clarity to Loki's condition. Love was for children; innocent, and naïve children that didn't know it could end in heart break or loss. Oh, but Loki was certainly familiar with loss. "You deny all claim to her simply because you are afraid of being hurt again."

Loki stared at him, shocked into silence, (which was a rare occurrence, indeed) and he simply watched as Thor turned to leave.

"You should be ashamed," Thor said and left.

* * *

><p>Every so often, I would wake slightly, but my consciousness never stayed for long. I would pass out again soon after I regained minimal consciousness. It went on like that for, it seemed, eons. There was, of course, no way to tell time, not that I would have been overly concerned with the telling of time, anyway.<p>

Sometimes it felt like I was going up hills or down hills. When there was a particular rough part of the road I would be able to stay away for marginally longer, and at those times I would wonder dully, where I was being taken and by whom. At other times I would become mildly worried that I would become hypoxic with such little air. I didn't really care, though because there was so little air; not enough for me to be able to muster the strength to actually get worried.

I never fully awoke until I felt cold stone under my cheek. Usually I like the cold, but the frigid stone floor seemed to draw every ounce of warmth out of me.

Subsequently I became aware of a searing pain on my arms.

I groaned and opened my eyes. I found myself in what looked to be a medieval dungeon, with no windows and an iron door.

I sat up and gingerly rolled up my sleeves to see runes that were just starting to scab over, carved into my arms. I got lightheaded and suddenly became sick. I wretched and heaved, but only bile came up. Once my bout of illness was over, I wormed away from the small puddle and cowered in the corner.

I realized that I was also wearing a metal collar like an animal.

I put my face in my hands and cried in self-pity. I am cursed with the worst luck in the universe. I have always known this deep down but have never had such definite proof of it as I do now. Even by traveling across outer space, I couldn't escape my fait.


End file.
